Andrew Kuo and Scott Reeder Bring a Nightclub to Marlborough

“Andrew Kuo and Scott Reeder: It Gets Beta,” a two-person show currently on view at Marlborough is spread across two of the gallery’s New York spaces; there’s a painting show at the Chelsea space and at the Broome Street location, the artists, Andrew Kuo and Scott Reeder, have dreamed up a DIY club called Thinkers.

You may know Andrew Kuo though his cat-friendly Instagram account, @earlboykins, where he almost exclusively uploads funny meme-ready images of cute animals. Similarly, the artist also incorporates humor into his art—he’s known for his eye-catching poetic charts that analyze and graph everything from music events to things that make him worry.

Scott Reeder, who recently finished his 11-year film, Moon Dust (see Artist Scott Reeder to Debut Dystopian Sci-Fi Film), and who is now settled in Detroit, exhibits his “list” paintings where he comes up with ideas for specific purposes. Take for instance his painting More Ideas for a TV Show Episode or a Painting. The listed sentences—including “heavily medicated sloth declutters her workspace” and “expensive pair of jeans float through outerspace”—are both hilarious and visually evocative.

Kuo’s geometric and vibrant paintings, present charts of the kind he’s known for, with their corresponding keys written at the bottom. But for this show, they’ve gotten a bit more personal. Kuo disclosed to artnet News that some of the paintings in this series relate to his mother’s recent passing, the bright hues of the paintings belying their mournful undertone.

Check out our video, above, to hear the artists discuss their show.

“It Gets Beta” is on view at Marlborough Chelsea and Marlborough Broome Street until March 28, 2015.